Right-hander Dane Stone entered Thursday’s Gulf Coast Rookie League game in the eighth and didn’t realize what was happening. He knew starter Justin Jackson had not allowed a hit through four innings, but was oblivious as to how Patrick Merkling did in the seventh.

The more festive than usual celebration after Stone retired the six GCL Astros hitters he faced surprised him. He was part of a perfect game.

“When the sixth inning came around I was told I was going to pitch toward the end of the game so I went out and started stretching and I really didn’t think about it being a no-hitter at all,” said Stone, who the Marlins selected in the 25th round of June’s First-Year Player Draft. “When I came in I still had no idea.”

Stone struck out one of the three batters he faced in the eighth. When he went out for the ninth he still wasn’t aware of the situation.

“The last out of the game was a strikeout and the whole team went crazy,” Stone said. “We were winning by six runs and I was like, ‘Oh, wow, why are you guys celebrating? We’re winning by six runs.’ It kind of hit me right there. It was a great experience so soon in my professional career.”

The two other pitchers who combined on the perfect game also were 2012 Marlins’ draftees. The Marlins picked Jackson, who struck out six over the first six innings, in the 27th round out of Sam Houston State. Merkling, who tossed the seventh, is a product of Lee University (Cleveland, Tenn.). The Marlins took him in the 18th round.